Figure representing La Danza de los Viejitos
Unknown Maker
Mexico
Wood, textiles, dried husk of corn cob
This votive object is a wooden miniature that represents a danzante or dancer that performs in La Danza de los Viejitos or Dance of the Old Men. This wooden miniature was once owned by my uncle, Mario, who received it as a gift from his family in Mexico; he then passed it on to me. The Dance of the Old Men is the traditional dance from the state of Michoacán. Back in the pre-hispanic times, the indigenous Purépecha people performed the dance as a ritual to give prestige to the Aztec sun god Huehuetéoltl. This miniature is significant to me because it has helped me dive deep into my culture and informed me about my own heritage and country.
